Fastening for bracelets, necklaces, and other articles of jewelry



May 10 1927.

lFASTENING FOR BRACELETS NECKLACES, AND OTHER ARTICLES 0F JEWELRY A. DOWNES Filed D60. 28. 1926 Y N/ y i, @lli EZMW WM /w Patented May itl, i927.

UNITED STATES mais@ PATENT: oFFicE.

ANDREW DWNES, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR 'TO CARTIER LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY.

FASTENING FOR BRACELETS, NECKLACES, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF JEWELRY.

Application filed December 28, 1926, Serial No. 157,554, and in Great Britain January 19, 1926.

This invention relates to fastenings such as are employed for bracelets, necklaces, and other articles of jewelry wherein two members (e. g. the opposite ends of a bracelet or like article) require to be detachably secured together; the object of the invention being to provide an improved construction of snap-fastening having an additional or safety lock.

The improved device of the present invention comprises a slotted striking-plate on the one member, having at its rearside a sliding catch which tends under spring action to move in the direction to close the slot; a. hasp on the other member adapted to pass through the slot in the strikingplate and preferably having a cani-surface for causing the sliding catch to move automatically in the direction toy open the slot during the passage therethrough of the hasp, which latter is adapted f or interlocking engagement with the sliding catch to prevent mutual separation of the members after such passage has taken place; a plunger for enabling the sliding catch to be at will moved in the direction to open the slot and release the hasp; and a tumblerlever adapted so to engage the plunger as to prevent actuation thereof. The'tumblerlever, which preferably is pivoted to the second or hasp-member, may be adapted so to engage the plunger on the first or striking-plate member as to assist in preventing separation of the members from one another after the fastening has been closed. Two or more hasps with a corresponding number of slots `in the striking-plate may be employed, the necessary catches being provided on a single spring-actuated slide adapted for operation by one plunger.

In the drawings,

of a fastening embodying the invention, such fastening being shown in the closed or fastened position, and Y Y Figure 2 is an elevation of the same,

Figure 8 is a plan View showing the parts separated, f

Figure 4 is an elevation of the saine, and

Figure 5 is an elevation of the sliding catch.

Referring to the drawings, each end of the bracelet a terminates in a fiat plate, one al of which constitutes the slotted strikingplate already referred to, whilst to the other a2 are rigidly fixed a pair of hasps b respectively adapted to pass through correspondingly placed slots c in the striking-v plate al; the striking-plate and hasp-plate being adapted to lie face to face when the bracelet a is closed as shown in Figure 1. Behind the striking-plate col a slide el is fitted to reciprocate in guides which extend transversely of the bracelet and are formed by bendingthe plate al back upon itself as shown in Figure l. The slide Z is pressed towards one edge of the bracelet by a coiled spring e housed in a tube f fixed to the back of the striking-plate a1, the spring e being held in .compression between a projection d1 on the back of the slide Z and the inner end f1 of the tube The slide d is gapped as at d2 to give passage to the liasps I), one edge b1 of each of which is bevelled from thel point rearwards (see Figures l and 3). The gaps 032, when the-slide CZ is freed yto the action of its spring, remain so far open as to afford entrance for the points of the hasps, as shown in broken lines in Figure 3. Hence when the ends of the bracelet a are brought together, the hasps t pass through the slots c in the striking-plate` al and through the gaps Z2 in the slide d, causing the slide Z to move against the stress of its spring e until the striking and hasp plates al and a2 respectively contact with one another, whereupon the slide d is moved in the opposite direction by the spring e, so as to cause the ends of the gaps ,032 to enter notches b2 formed in the respective hasps at the rear of their edges.

VThe slide d, consistingl of a fiat strip of metal, is formed with an extension which projects beyond that edge of the bracelet L bevelled towards which the slide d is pressed by its Figure l is a plan view partly in section spring e, this extension being headed as at 'cl3 to constitute a plunger by means of which the slide d can be forced back, by a touch of the iingeiyto release the slide from theV hasps when it is desired to unfasten the bracelet. A notch d4 is formed in the outer edge of the slide-extension or plunger, immediately outside of the edge of the bracelet, to receive a tumbler-lever g so pivoted at g1 vto the corresponding edge of the haspend of the bracelet as to swing in a plane parallel to the same edge of the bracelet,

the tumbler-lever g being adapted, by its v engagement with said notch, Clt, to prevent the actnat-ioli of plunger al to releaee the slide l t'roin the notches 'b2 in the lianpe4 o. The tree end o the tun'ililer-lerer is preterahly hoolied to engage over the 'farther .aide of the plunger ieee l*`i;iii'i .i=` and so as to cti-operate with the haeplastcning in holding the ends oit the liracelet together. lhe tun1hle1'lcrer 5'/ nini lic provided with a small operatingy hnoh g2.

More particularly in ensei.: where the Scale ol' the parte is sullicicntl)Y large= the notchee o in the hasps may lie so tapered that niorcnicnt ot the Slide under the. retirees; o ll its ;-iprin`c; will teint to draw the Strikingl and lmnp plates more closely together. rliiuilarli', the notch d in the plunger nitty he ro tapered that the forcing olf the tinnhlerlerer t/ into said notchv will tend to draw the operative extreniitiee` of the slide gaps J2 into deeper engagement with the nctche 4 o2 in the hasps. Moreover, the hook on the tree end ol the tniiiihler-lerer g inajr lilewine lic tapered so as to tend lo heeoine wedged against the farther side o'l the plunger when engaged therewitli.

l claim:-

l. i lrfstenine` device lor bracelets, neeltlacen and other articles o'll jewelry coinpriningr intenconnecting parte` on the contiguous 'lfacee olE the two nieinliers, a Slidingl catch :ulapted to engage the iiiter-connectiiig parts to lock the saine7 :i plunger associated with said elidinccatch and adapted when actuated to nnlocl; the said. parte` and nieans adapted to engage the plunger so ae to pre- Avent accidental :n ftiuation thereof.

2. A. 'taetening lfor ln'acelctis. necklaces and other art ieleeol jeweler coinprieing u slotted Striking plate en one inenilier, a sliding catch carried hy said strilzinev plate, n Spring operative on said Slidingn catch to tend to more it in a direction to clone thc slots in Said striking platel` hasph` on the other n1eniloer adapted to pass through the elett: in the striking plate, Said haepa harin4 detente :ulapted :tor interlocking;` engagement with the eliding` Catch to prcrent nnitual Separation ol the inen'ihiirel when in the locked ponitien, a plunger aesociated with the sliding catch and adapted to he niored in the direction to open the slots and releer-e the haeps and means adapted to engage the plunger so an to prevent accidental actuation thcreolf.

3. ,t :tastening tor liraeelete, neelclaccey and other articles olf jewelry coinpgiQing` a slotted striking plate on one ineinher, n sliding mitch carried hy said Striking` plate, and haring hanp rcccirine` slots, a spring' operatire on said sliding(` catch to tend to more it in a direction to clone the Slote in said etriltiirn plate, haepe on the other n'ienher adapted striking plate, said haepe haring" cani ein 'Faces on their ends to engage and more the sliding catch in the direction to open the to page through the Slot# in the slots duringl the `passage theretlirough et' the hasps, said haepf-s havingdetents adapted tor interlocking` engagement with the SlidingI czitcli to prerent niutnal eeparation ol the incnihere` when in the locked position, a plunger aesociated with the eliding` catch and niorahlc in thc direction to open the slots and release the haeps and ineains ndapted to engage the plunger so as to prevent accidental actuation thereof.

)t 'taeteninr "lor liraeclets, `necklaces and other articles ol jcrfelriv coinprieini;` a clottcd striking plate on one n'ieiulier, a alid init; clich carried hy said Strikingl plate, a Ytiring opcratire on n: id aliding;` catch to tend to inorc it in a direction to close the slots` in .said Striking;` plate, haspe on the other nicnihcr adapted to pass through the eletti in the striking' plate. said hasps havingl detente adapted for inter-loelting` engage nient with the Sliding aatch to prevent niuluzil Separation o'l' the nicinliern` when in thc lochcd position, a plungerasnociated with lic sliding catch Alor movingv said catch in the direction to open the slots and relcaec. the liaspe and a tunihler lever piroted to thc niernlier which arries the liaeps to engage the Said ililunrer to prevent aceifflental actuation thereof.

7i. A. taeteniug' tor liiracelets, necklaces and other articlce ott jewelry Comprising; n alottcd etrikingplate on one ineinher, it Slidingg' catch carried hr eaid strikingI plate, a sprintf opcratirc on eaid elidiireT fateli to (cnil to nuire it inizi dircctioii to close the f-:lote` in said etriliinle` plate, haepg on the other nicuiher adapted to `pants through `the slote in thc ntriltiiifcgplate. Said hasps heving cani enrt'aees en their ends to engage and more the slidii'ig;` ce. eh in the direction to open the slots during' the passage there through ot `the hunne, .aid haeps also harH ing detente adapted l'or inter-loeline` eugaigeincnt with the Sliding catch to prevent inntual separation o'l' the nicniherl when in the loclted position` a iriluncjer :.ieeoeiated with the Sliding' catch toi" mornin s-aid catch in the direction to open the slots and rclcaec the haeliie and u tiuulilcr lerer pivotcd to the nieniher which ferries` the haspx" lo enc-age the said plunger to prevent aceidental actuation thereol?.

t5. ,t latetcning' tor hacelctn, neclthnfce and other :'irtiele.-r ol jewelry coniprieine` a elotted Striking' plate on `one incnilier. a ldidinel catch carried h r eaid strikingY platin :i epi-ine' operative on Said Slidingcatch to tend to niorc it in a direction to close thc .aletta in :-=aid etriking'plate, haspe on the other nienilicr adapted to .parte through thc i slots in the striking' plate.` l@aid liaepn` hai iurdetente adapted 'lor inter-loelting cn- ;i'aiieincnt with the nlidingr catch to prevent mutuel sfciliaration o'l" the nicmliern when in the locked position, a plunger associated with the sliding vcatch for moving said catch in the direction to open the slots and release the hasps and a curved tumbler lever pivoted tothe member which carries the hasps to engage the said plunger to pre-` vent accidental actuation thereof, the engageinent of the tumbler lever with the plunger tending to draw the striking plate and hasp member together.

T. A fastening for bracelets, necklaces and other articles of jewelry comprising a slotted striking plate on one member, a sliding catch carried by said striking plate and having an abutment on its rear face, a tube carried by said striking plate, a spring between the inner end of said tube and said abutment and operative to move the sliding catch in a direction to close the slots in said striking plate, hasps on the other member adapt-ed to pass through the slots in the striking plate, said hasps having detents adapted for inter-locking engagement with the sliding catch to prevent mutual separation of the members when in the lockedpositioii, a plunger associated with the sliding catchy to be at will moved in the direction to open the slots and release the hasps and means adapted to engage the plunger and prevent accidental actuation thereof.

end of said tube and said abutment to move the sliding catch in a direction to close the slots in said striking plate, liasps on the other member 'adapted to pass through the slots in the striking plate, said liasps having detents adapted for inter-locking engagement with the sliding catch to prevent mutual separation ofthe members when in the locked position, a plunger associated with the sliding catch for moving said catch in the direction to open the slots and release the hasps and a curved 'tumbler lever pivoted to the member which carries the hasps to engage the said plunger to prevent accideiital actuation thereof, the engagement of the tumbler lever with the plunger tending to draw the striking plate and hasp member together.

In testimony whereof I have signed iny name to this specification.

ANDREW DowNE-s. 

